


Daddio

by followyourenergy



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Adoption, Adoption Request, Angst, Established Castiel/Dean Winchester, Fluff, M/M, Parents Castiel/Dean Winchester, References to Abuse, References to Addiction, parenting, proposal
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-04
Updated: 2020-08-04
Packaged: 2021-03-06 08:01:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 15,454
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25580002
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/followyourenergy/pseuds/followyourenergy
Summary: Dean Winchester has a fantastic life—awesome kids, amazing partner, great job, terrific family and friends. It’s perfect, and he has everything he needs.But.There are things he wants. Like for his kids to be his kids in every way.His kids want that, too. And they ask their dad, Castiel, to help them make it happen.
Relationships: Castiel/Dean Winchester
Comments: 178
Kudos: 430
Collections: FicFacer$ 2020, The Destiel Fan Survey Favs Collection





	1. Dean

**Author's Note:**

  * For [thatpeculiarone](https://archiveofourown.org/users/thatpeculiarone/gifts).



> Hello again! I’m so happy to be with you! 
> 
> This fic is for @thatpeculiarone for FicFacer$. You can thank her for the wonderful prompt by checking out her work [here](https://archiveofourown.org/users/thatpeculiarone/pseuds/thatpeculiarone). Thank you, my dear, for entrusting me with your idea! ❤️
> 
> This fic deals with stepparent adoption. Adoption has its share of joy and heartache for everyone involved. This is one family’s experience, and certainly doesn’t speak to all adoption situations. I’ll add a specific warning in the end notes when needed, but if you have any questions or concerns, feel free to message me on Twitter (@followurenergy) or Tumblr (followyourenergy). ❤️

"All right, you turkeys, get moving before you miss the bus,” Dean Winchester barks affectionately at his children, Claire and Jack. “Jack! Stop riling the dog up.”

Eight-year-old Jack sprints between the living room and kitchen, their Jack Russell Terrier matching his pace. “I’m not! She was already riled up! Gracie has the zoomies!”

“Because of _you_ ,” Claire says, fourteen-year-old superiority lacing her tone.

“Hey, knock it off,” Dean chastises her quietly, though he doesn’t disagree with her. 

Jack blows a raspberry at Claire, then pouts when Dean says the same thing to him. Dean takes it in stride, though, because he knows that Jack will get over his momentary indignance. He packs Jack’s lunch while Jack stares at his feet. Sure enough, when Dean asks him if he wants brownies or sugar cookies, Jack perks up. 

“You made the brownies and Dad made the cookies, right?”

“Yup,” he says, keeping his voice neutral and not looking at the kids. He doesn’t want them to see him biting back a smile at Jack’s insinuation. “So which one?”

“Not the cookies!” He drops dramatically to the floor, pretending to choke. “Save me from Dad’s cooking!” he cries. 

“It’s not his cooking that sucks, it’s just his baking,” Claire helpfully clarifies, looking down at her brother.

Dean turns toward his daughter. “Claire, come on—”

“It’s true, Daddio, it sucks.”

“ _Jack_. Stop, both of you. And don’t say ‘sucks,’ that’s not nice.”

Claire rolls her eyes while Jack pouts but mutters, “The truth hurts.”

Dean claps a hand to his mouth, making it look like he’s rubbing it in frustration rather than stifling his laughter. Jack is always saying things that seem way too advanced for him. “Little pitchers have big ears,” his grandmother says, and Jack is the epitome of a big-eared pitcher—he hears _everything_ , even if it looks like he’s not paying attention, and absorbs it all like a sponge. He heard that phrase somewhere, Dean’s sure of it. He turns back to the counter to slip a brownie into a bag and, hopefully, keep his cool. 

Behind him, Claire snorts.

Turning back to them, he gives Jack his lunch bag and Claire a pointed look to _zip it_. “Dad tries because he loves us, and that’s the important part. He can’t get better if he doesn’t practice. Now go wait for the bus.”

Jack investigates the contents of his lunch bag while Claire snickers to herself as she gets her backpack zipped. “Oh!” she says. “I need this signed.”

When Dean sees the form, his heart sinks. It’s a permission slip for a field trip. “When does this need to go back? Dad has to sign it.”

“The field trip’s today.”

“How long have you had it, Claire?”

“Chill, I just got it.”

He raises a brow at her, a trick he learned from her father. “They only gave you one night to get this signed?”

She shrugs. He’s guessing she’s had it a little longer than she’s trying to make it sound, but it’s not worth the argument right now. He tosses his hands. “Well, Dad won’t be back until later tonight, so I guess I have to sign it.” He grabs a pen from the drawer, then signs his partner Castiel’s name as close to Cas’ actual signature as he can. He’s gotten pretty good at it. “You never saw me do this,” he adds as the kids watch.

“Why are you writing Dad’s name?” Jack asks. He must recognize the C and N, because the rest of it is a squiggly scrawl. 

“I can’t legally sign forms for you guys, kiddo,” Dean explains. Before he can say anything else, he hears Jack’s bus pull up, which means Claire’s isn’t far behind. “Shoot! Go, you guys, get out there!”

Once they’re gone, Dean sighs. All the damn forms that he can’t sign with his own name get to him. He can’t even pick up his kids from school or sports or take them to the doctor without Cas’ written permission. It irks him. He’s just as much their father as Cas is...except he’s not, because legally, they’re not his. They’re only Cas’.

That was, admittedly, Dean’s decision. But he made it for Cas.

Dean met Cas and Claire when they moved into the apartment next door. At first Dean thought he was married, given the redhead that was in and out of his place so often, but later he found out that redhead was Cas’ sister, Anna. She (and his brother and parents) helped him out while he was working and going to school. When he found out Cas wasn’t taken, he took it upon himself to be extra-friendly to his handsome neighbor and his adorable kid. 

His friendliness didn’t get him far at first. Cas was standoffish, barely offering more than a nod in greeting. Luckily, Claire was much friendlier, always waving at him even as her father coaxed her along gently, never rude but never letting her say more than a quick hello, either. 

That changed when Claire and Anna ate lunch out on their balcony one bright afternoon. As an author, Dean worked from home, and he often sat on his own balcony to write, which is what he was doing that day when he was interrupted by a “What’s your name?” When he answered, the four-year-old introduced herself as Claire, then chatted nonstop with him through the slats of the railing. It was the start of a daily ritual that was only interrupted by rainy days and days when Cas was home...at least until Claire insisted on going out one day while Dean was outside.

“That’s Dean, Daddy,” she introduced him, even though he’d introduced himself to Cas a couple of months before in the parking lot. Cas smiled and said a polite “Hello, Dean” in that rumbly voice that still makes Dean shiver. Of course, his “Hello, Dean” has become much warmer and, in the privacy of their bedroom, much more suggestive. 

Cas still didn’t talk to him beyond a “Hello, Dean” for another month, though he indulged Claire and sat outside with her while she talked Dean’s ear off. Eventually, he came around and joined their balcony chats, which evolved into sharing mealtimes on their separate balconies, which evolved into hanging out on the same balcony, and finally, inside Cas’ apartment when Dean ordered way too much takeout due to a miscommunication between him and the person on the other end of the phone. Claire was so thrilled to see him at their door with dinner that Cas didn’t have the heart to say no, he told him years later.

After that, Cas opened up a little more, and soon they were a part of each other’s lives—meals, movie nights (kid and grown up varieties), coffee, shopping, taking Claire to museums and parks and skating, meeting each other’s families and friends, shared vacations. They were a couple in every way.

Except they weren’t, because the more Dean got to know Cas, the more he knew Cas needed a friend, not a boyfriend, so he didn’t push for more. And months into their friendship, he finally found out why Cas was so skittish about relationships: because he’d had a couple of spectacularly shitty ones. 

He was barely eighteen when his summer fling before college became pregnant with Claire. Neither of them were particularly happy about it, but they tried to make it work. He deferred college and worked, saving up money and buying what he could for the baby. Unfortunately, Claire’s mother, Zoe, couldn’t grow up that fast. She was into the party scene, and though she managed to stay away from it while she was pregnant (with a lot of intervention from him and his parents, who they lived with), she was sucked back into it as soon as they brought Claire home. She fell into some hard drugs, and they twisted anything he’d found attractive in her into something vile. When she started neglecting Claire and verbally and physically abusing him, he broke it off with her and his parents kicked her out. 

He stayed with his parents for a year, but after a lot of conflict (born, Cas says now, of thinking he knew it all when he didn’t know shit), he moved into a tiny efficiency apartment. His parents, bless them, still helped to care for Claire while he worked and went to school—not for library sciences, as he’d originally planned, but to become a firefighter, since the jobs were plentiful and the pay was decent. 

The second shitty relationship happened with a guy he met while pursuing his paramedic education. Bart seemed great, Cas said—he was fun, outgoing, had a great smile, and charmed both him and two-year-old Claire. Unfortunately, he also had a problem with power, wanting as much as he could have in every relationship he had. Cas broke it off with him, but had to file protection from harassment orders and change both schools and apartments (twice) for the guy to leave him the hell alone. He ended up living with Anna for a bit so he could finish his paramedic studies. By the time he moved next door to Dean, he was working on his Fire Science degree and was extremely wary of anyone who seemed remotely interested in him for any reason. 

It took two years, Dean being there for Cas when he adopted Jack after Claire’s mom found herself pregnant again and begged for his help, and Dean finally laying his cards on the table for them to get together. 

The wait was worth it. He’s so in love with Cas, and he knows Cas feels the same. 

But as far as the kids go, he won’t push, just like he hasn’t pushed the idea of marriage. Cas had to deal with so much custody crap and relationship crap that he doesn’t want Cas to think he needs to have some sort of control or legality for Dean to be with them. He loves them just the way they are.

Dean would be thrilled if he could adopt the kids, though, and thrilled if he could be married to Cas.

Cas did ask once if he wanted to adopt the kids. It was after a big fight in which Dean essentially threw a tantrum about not being able to sign a form. There was more to it than that—the fight had followed a frustrating week in which the kids had been awful, Cas had to work double shifts, and Dean burned their anniversary dinner and _still_ didn’t get the proposal he hoped for every year—but Dean, in a stupid fit of self-pity, said all the legal stuff would be a pain in the ass, so Cas dropped it. Things got better, but Cas never brought up adoption again, and neither did Dean.

He regrets it sometimes. 

Dean looks around the kitchen and sighs again. He cleans up with a resigned frown. He knows he’ll get over his bad mood—he always does—but for now, it sits like a thundercloud over his head.


	2. Claire

Claire Novak is laughing at a video on TikTok that her parents would find utterly dumb (because they don’t get humor) when Jack barges into her room. 

“What’ve I told you about knocking, snotface?”

“Why can’t Daddio sign his name for us?” Jack asks, ignoring her question. 

“He told you. It’s because he can’t legally sign forms for us.”

“Why not?”

“Because he’s not technically our father.”

“Why not?”

“Duh, ‘cause he didn’t adopt us?”

“Why not?”

“Dude, is that your favorite question?”

“Yeah. So why not?”

Claire rolls her eyes in a very Dad-like way, then sighs. “I dunno.”

Jack frowns, then sprawls belly-down onto Claire’s bed. “I tell everyone he’s my dad.”

“Well I do, too, obviously. Just ‘cause he’s not our legal dad doesn’t mean he’s not our dad.”

“Yeah, but am I lying?”

“No, doofus.”

“But he lied when he wrote Dad’s name.”

“Well, sometimes you have to.”

“But Dad and Daddio say it’s wrong to lie.”

“Well, yeah, about big stuff. But that was, like, a tiny lie that didn’t hurt anybody. Dad was at work, so he had to do it. Otherwise I couldn’t have gone on my trip.”

Jack squints at her. “You lied when you told Daddio that you just got your form.”

Claire sneers at him. “Shut up. Anyway, are we done?”

“I don’t want to lie.”

“So fine, don’t lie. Tell everyone that Daddio isn’t your real father, then explain your tragic superhero origin story to everyone.”

Jack sticks his tongue out at her, then sits up and strikes a pose. “I’m Batman!” he cries in a breathy shout, then asks, “Wait, what’s a tragic superhero origin story?”

Claire is beginning to regret not chasing him out the second he came in. “I mean, like, where you came from and stuff. Like, if you told the truth, you’d have to say that Zoe was a druggie and bolted after she gave birth to you.” 

“Dad said she’s sick and it’s not nice to talk about her like that.”

“Yeah, yeah, I know.” 

She drops her phone and stares at the ceiling. Claire has no memories of their mother the first time she was around, but she remembers snippets from the second time. They were living at the old apartment. Daddio was still just a good friend of Dad’s, though she already thought of him as her other parent. A woman showed up at the door; from the brief glimpse Claire got, she was pale and had a huge belly. She remembers the way Dad tensed up, the weird sound of his voice, and even his exact words: “Dean, take Claire and go.” He didn’t tell Daddio where to take her or why, but Daddio didn’t question it. He took her out the back door and down the street for ice cream, where they met Uncle Gabe, who took them to his house after. At the time, she didn’t think much of it.

She remembers meeting Zoe a couple of days later at a diner, though she didn’t know she was her mother yet. Zoe fussed over her, getting in her face and running her hands through her hair far more than Claire liked until Dad told her to stop. She vividly remembers the color of the shirt Dad was wearing (a teal/purple plaid) that she hid her face in and the feel of Daddio’s large hand on her back. The next day she showed up at Uncle Gabe’s. Claire stayed in the pool with her cousin and Daddio while the other grownups talked. She remembers Daddio letting them ride on his back while he pretended to be the Loch Ness Monster. 

The day after that, Dad, with Daddio by his side, explained that the woman was her birth mother. She knew she had a mother somewhere, but Dad told her she was sick and needed a lot of help and wasn’t able to take care of her properly, which is why she wasn’t part of their lives. She didn’t understand what kind of sickness she had until much later, but Dad, to his credit, never talked badly of her—he only told the truth, which is hard to know but which Claire appreciates anyway. Most days. Some days it sucks—it would be nice if her mother gave a shit—but she has Daddio, who definitely gives a shit (sometimes too much—does he have to be at _every_ one of her games, cheering his head off?). 

He also explained that Claire was going to be a big sister in a couple of weeks. He told her that her mother was still too sick to be a mommy, so they were going to take care of the baby. Claire was excited. She couldn’t wait to play with the baby. 

What she didn’t know was how much that baby would change everything—for the bad, at first, because he cried _all the time_ and because their apartment was too small so they had to move, but then for the very, very good, because Daddio moved with them and they finally became a family, even though they grossed her out with all the kissing they started doing.

He’s always been family to her, much more than her mother ever was. 

“So can he adopt us?”

Jack’s question echoes her own thoughts. Though it doesn't need to be official for Daddio to be her dad, it would be nice. If he even wants that. Zoe couldn’t be bothered with them, obviously. “I don’t know. I mean, I think there’s legal stuff to do. I don’t know, maybe it would be an automatic thing if Dad and Daddio got married? I’m not sure.”

“Maybe we can ask Dad. He knows everything except how to make cookies and stuff.”

Claire snorts. “Yeah. Maybe. Do you want Daddio to adopt us?”

“Well yeah! Don’t you?”

She stares blankly at the wall and thinks. Maybe there’s a reason he hasn’t. Maybe they should leave well enough alone. “Uh, yeah, but before we ask, lemme look into it. Maybe he can’t or something. Don’t say _anything_ to Dad or Daddio or _anyone_ until I figure it out, okay?”

“Okay.”

“Swear.”

“I swear, jeez!”

“Fine. Now get out.”

Jack slides off her bed slowly until he’s on the floor, then rolls even more slowly toward the door.

“Go!”

He crosses his eyes at her before he stands up and leaves, leaving the door open behind him. 

“Close the door!”

Jack returns and puts his backside on the doorknob.

“What are you doing?”

“Trying to close it with my butt!”

“Disgusting. Close it like you’re not a circus freak and GOOOOO AWAAAAAY!”

He does, making a variety of faces as he does so.

“Brat,” she mutters, though she loves the kid and wouldn’t think twice about popping anyone who gave him a hard time. 

Claire rolls the conversation around in her head for a while, then decides to text her cousin, Maya. Despite the eight year age difference between their fathers, Maya’s only a year older than her. She’s known Daddio most of their lives, so she’d probably be able to tell if he might want to adopt them. Plus, she’s told her all the crap about Zoe.

_Claire 4:32pm: Do u think daddio would adopt me and jack_

_Maya 4:33pm: Yea y not_

_Claire 4:33pm: Cuz he hasn’t?_

_Maya 4:33pm: He wud he loves u duh_

_Maya 4:34pm: Do u want him to_

_Claire 4:34pm: Yea i think_

_Maya 4:35pm: Y u think_

_Claire 4:35pm: Don’t want him doing it cuz he feels he has to or some shit_

_Maya 4:35pm: Ha like uncle dean does stuff he doesn’t want to_

_Claire 4:36pm: Lol yea_

_Claire 4:36pm: Do they have to b married_

_Maya 4:36pm: I don’t think so?_

_Claire 4:36pm: K_

_Claire 4:36pm: Shd i ask him_

_Maya 4:37pm: Yea but u shd prob ask uncle cas first in case_

_Claire 4:37pm: In case what_

_Maya 4:37pm: In case they have to be married or smth_

_Maya 4:37pm: Do they wanna get married_

_Claire 4:38pm: Dunno. They’re grossly in love so prob_

_Maya 4:38pm: Ha ha yea. Dude u shd do one of those surprise adoption video things_

_Claire 4:38pm: What_

_Maya 4:39pm: Do smth fun to ask him to adopt u and record it_

_Claire 4:39pm: Im gonna feel like an asshole if he says no_

_Maya 4:40pm: Dude do u rly think he’ll say no_

Claire thinks about all she knows about Dean, the man she’s called “Daddio” for years. When she felt like she wanted to call him Dad instead of Dean, she wanted to come up with a special name for him, and since her Uncle Gabe always called him “Deano,” she came up with “Daddio.” Completely stupid, but he teared up when she said it the first time and he loves it and won’t let her change it. (The hurt look on his face when she tried once was enough to make her stop.) He’s been in her life since she was small—she doesn’t remember her life without him, really—and he’s been just as much of a parent as her own biological father. He’s been at her games, at her parent-teacher conferences, at her concerts. He was there for her when she broke her wrist, when her gerbil Bill died, when all her friends ditched her at the start of middle school. He took on a family willingly, knowing he wouldn’t just be with her dad, but with her and her brother, too, who was a real pain in the ass when he was a baby (not much has changed there, in her opinion). He’s been with them for years, and he talks about the future like he’s going to be there. She can rely on him, unlike Zoe. And yeah, the mom thing hurts, but that’s a different issue. 

_Claire 4:45pm: Nah i don’t think he’ll say no. Thx. Might do the surprise thing if dad is cool w it_

_Maya 4:46pm: Cool! Gotta go to practice rn but i’ll be home later we can talk abt it!_

Claire smiles, nodding to herself. Yes, Daddio loves both of them. He may not be their biological dad, but he doesn’t have to be. Dad’s already got that covered. Although...Claire pauses. No, he’s not Jack’s bio dad, some other guy is. So Jack must be adopted already, by Dad. Can he be adopted twice, especially if they’re not married? 

_Whatever_ , she thinks as she gets back to TikTok. _That’s for the adults to figure out._

After dinner, Claire pulls Jack into her room while their fathers clean up. She knows that they use the time to catch up with each other (and sometimes to suck face right there in the dining room, eww), so they should be occupied for a few minutes. 

“Do you want Daddio to adopt us?”

“I already said I did.”

“Don’t be a smartass.”

“ _You’re_ a smart butt.”

“Yeah, well, it’s my job. Anyway, I think we can make it happen. But first, we need to talk to Dad.”

Jack nods eagerly. 

“I don’t _know_ if it can happen, though.”

Jack nods again.

“Wanna hear how I wanna do it?”

Her brother crosses his legs on her bed and leans forward. She tells him what Maya suggested and how they could come up with a cool way of asking him to adopt them. Jack is enthusiastic. She swears him to secrecy, then tells him they’ll talk to Dad when they can get him alone.

Four nights later, they get their opportunity. Daddio’s out with Uncle Sam and Dad just finished his usual twenty-four hour shift, so he’s home for the next couple of days. Armed with their plan, they knock on his bedroom door. “Come in,” their father’s voice calls from the other side.

“Dad? Jack and I want to talk to you about something. It’s important.”


	3. Castiel

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Many thanks to Hailee for her professional insight on the early days of babies exposed to drugs. Thank you, Hailee! ❤️

Castiel Novak is often pleasantly (and occasionally unpleasantly) surprised by his children.

This surprise is a pleasant surprise indeed.

“You want Daddio to adopt you.”

“Yes!” Jack exclaims, jumping in place where he stands at the foot of the bed that Castiel shares with his longtime partner, Dean. In contrast, his daughter Claire is standing there quietly, nervously. She is the one who said the beautiful words “We want Daddio to adopt us, is that okay?” but she looks as if she’s afraid her words are going to elicit a negative response. 

Castiel smiles. “Come here, you two.” He opens up his arms.

Claire and Jack run to him and cozy up on either side; he wraps his arms around them and kisses them both on their heads. He doesn’t answer Claire’s question right away, choosing to embrace them until they understand that the question was okay to ask to begin with. When they’re both relaxed, he gives them each a final squeeze before letting them loose. Jack wiggles away and sits across from him, while Claire pulls back but stays closer.

“So can he, Dad?” Jack asks, his eyes lit with excitement.

Castiel would love to say yes. But he can’t, not yet. “Tell me why you want Daddio to adopt you.”

The kids go into detail about how much they love Dean and how he’s been there for them. It delights him to hear it. He only wishes Dean were here right now to hear it, too. They talk about the other options, including legal guardianship, but the kids insist they want adoption.

“So can he?” Jack asks again.

Castiel hesitates, just a moment. 

“I mean, if you think he wants to,” Claire mumbles. 

He’s rarely seen his confident daughter so unsure, and it breaks his heart. “Honey,” he says as he smooths her hair, “he loves you two more than anyone. He loves being your dad.”

“But?”

Jack giggles, as he often does when someone says _but_. Castiel directs a disapproving look his way before he answers Claire. “But there are things I have to look into first. I don’t want to say yes and then have to tell you no later. I have to make sure he can legally first.”

“I hereby say yes!” Jack says, banging an imaginary gavel.

“I wish it were that easy, love.” Castiel squeezes his knee. “It takes a lot to adopt someone. But I know that Daddio loves being your father, legal or not. He loves you both to the moon and back.”

Claire smiles, probably remembering the times Dean read _Guess How Much I Love You_ to her. Thinking back on it himself, it makes his throat tighten. 

Jack bounces a little. “You guys could get married, and then it would be easy, right?”

“It wouldn’t be any easier, hon.”

“You guys should get married, though.”

His heart droops at that comment. He’s not sure if Dean wants to get married. He’s never mentioned it, never even hinted at it. And with all the baggage that Cas comes with, he certainly hasn’t wanted to be the one to suggest it. “We’ll see,” he says.

“You’ll look into the adoption thing, though?” Claire asks.

“Of course, Claire-bear. It might take some time, but I will absolutely look into it. I know how important it is to you, and it’s important to me, too.”

Claire perks up. “You want him to?”

“Yes, of course.” At her relieved sigh, he asks, “Did you think I wouldn’t?”

“I just...I didn’t want you to think you weren’t enough.”

“Oh, sweetheart.” He pulls her into another hug. “I think of it as twice as nice.”

“Dork,” she giggles. She backs away, her nose twitching. “I can still smell smoke on you.”

“Back to the shower for me, then. Are we all set here?”

The kids assure him that they are, and they all promise each other not to say anything to Dean.

* * *

Later, Dean next to him and the house quiet, Castiel tries to sleep after a long, tough shift. His mind doesn’t let him sleep, though. Instead, he thinks of the three questions he needs to answer before he can make this happen for the kids: Does he want this? Does Dean want this? And will Zoe allow it?

The first question is easy to answer. 

When he first met Dean, he had absolutely no interest in getting to know him. After the shit with Zoe and then with Bart, he’d had enough of romance (by that point he’d had enough of _people_ in general). He didn’t trust anyone. But slowly, Dean became a part of their lives. As their friendship blossomed, Castiel thought that he must have misread Dean’s earliest interactions, that the twinkly eyes and playful, flirty smiles Dean shot his way before they got to know each other must have been his natural, outgoing friendliness and not any sort of romantic interest, because Dean never pushed for more. It helped Castiel let down his guard and slowly, gradually let Dean in until Dean became the best friend he’d ever had. Eventually, though, as life evened out and Castiel trusted people again, the idea that Dean wasn’t interested in him that way began to sting. They did everything together, they were an integral part of each other’s lives, they were everything to each other except _that_ , and Castiel didn’t know what to do with that.

Then Zoe showed up again.

He could’ve said no to her, told her it wasn’t his job to rescue her, told her to place the child for adoption. But knowing that the child was Claire’s half-sibling, he couldn’t. So he stepped up, even letting her put his name on the birth certificate so that he could accept the child without any sort of messy court involvement. (The biological father, she told him, died of a drug overdose.) 

Dean stepped up with him.

He didn’t have to, but he was there at the birth. He didn’t have to, but he took care of Claire or stayed by his side while Castiel spent long hours at the hospital with Jack, watching him as he struggled with tremors, fevers, and difficulty feeding while he withdrew from cocaine. He didn’t have to, but he made him meals and took Claire to school and hung out with Jack so he could get a little sleep or have one-on-one time with Claire. He didn’t have to, but Dean was a father. And a friend. Still a friend.

Until that summer night.

It was just over a month since Jack came home from his month-long hospitalization. Everyone was finally settling into a routine, and Jack’s little body seemed calmer and healthier. But babies are loud (especially Jack) and take up a lot of space, and the two bedroom apartment wasn’t going to cut it anymore, so Castiel knew he was going to have to disrupt them once more.

“I have to move,” he told Dean.

Dean was silent.

“I don’t want to,” he continued. His voice cracked like he was going through puberty, but he couldn’t help it. It hurt so much to think of leaving Dean—not because he was helpful, but because he’d fallen in love with him.

Dean turned to him. “I don’t want you to, either.”

Castiel wiped his eyes. “Sorry. Just...gonna miss you. I mean, I know we’ll see each other, but not as often, and, well, you know how it goes. Out of sight, out of mind. Which of course I understand, you have your own life—”

“We could move in together.”

Castiel had paused, wondering first if he’d heard wrong, then wondering how he’d gotten so lucky when Dean’s stare didn’t waver. Still, he said, “You don’t need us dragging—”

“What if I do need you?”

Hopeful yet cautious, he reminded him, “We’re a lot, Dean.”

“I know. You’re everything.”

That just about made Castiel pass out. “But, I mean, even for a best friend, to take on—”

Haltingly, but with an urgency Castiel had never heard from him before, Dean whispered, “What if I don’t want to be just your best friend? What if...what if I want a family with you? A life with you? What if I...what if I’m in love with you, Cas?”

It had all been so much to believe that words failed him. 

Luckily, his lips did not.

That kiss had been the most incredible kiss of his life. He’d never been so happy. And years later, he’s still happy. He loves Dean with his whole heart and soul.

So does he want Dean to adopt their children? Yes, unequivocally. And does he want to marry Dean? Also yes, unequivocally. 

His mind skips to the third question. Chances are, Zoe will be...displeased about terminating her parental rights, which he could understand (and wouldn’t even ask of her) if she were actually involved with them, but she’s not. The two or three times she’s bothered to contact him about them in some effort to look like a “good parent” to someone or other, she’s acted as if they’re her property, something she can possess. It’s always pissed him off. He’s never pushed the issue of terminating her rights, though, since Dean never pushed it and since she’s never actually made a stink (or an effort) to have a say. 

How much he pushes the issue now will depend on the answer to the second question. 

That’s the one he’s not so confident about.

Dean loves them. There’s not a shred of doubt in his mind about that. But though he gets frustrated that he can’t do the things that Castiel can do, he’s never asked to adopt them, never even asked to be their legal guardian. The one time he asked Dean if he wanted to, he said the legal stuff would be a “pain in the ass” to do.

It wasn’t really an answer, looking back. 

Next to him, Dean stirs. “You okay?” he asks, warm concern infusing his sleep-heavy question. 

“Yeah.”

“You’re quiet.”

“Well, you _are_ sleeping. Or you were.”

“But you’re not.” Castiel can hear the frown in his voice.

“Just stuff on my mind.”

“Like?”

He can’t really tell him, not if they want to keep it a surprise. “Just stuff. Life, death. You know.”

“That’s kinda broad, babe. Something happen at work?”

 _Not this time_ , he thinks as his mind wanders to the fire he fought earlier. Everyone got out, thankfully, but it was a bad one. What if _he_ hadn’t gotten out? What if he’d died? What would happen to the kids? Dean has no legal authority. He’d have to petition to become legal guardian of his own children. And what if Zoe challenged him? Hell, this adoption thing is even bigger than just the kids wanting Dean to adopt them, though that’s certainly big enough. But none of that matters if he doesn’t _want_ to adopt them. “Not really. We had a big one, but everyone got out. This time.”

Dean rolls toward him and kisses his shoulder. “Focus on that, then, okay? Everyone got out. You came home to us. We’re all here and safe.”

“Yeah.” He swallows. “You’d take care of the kids if I didn’t make it, though, right?”

Dean scoffs. “Of course I would. I love those greaseballs.” 

Castiel chuckles, but says, “Seriously, though.”

“Cas, you _know_ I would. They’re my kids.”

“I know, but _legally_ —”

“I don’t care about ‘legally’. If I had to, I’d figure it out. What is this about, sweetheart?”

With a sigh, Castiel says, “You just took so much on when you came to this family—”

“Happily, Cas. I did it happily.”

“You were barely twenty-one when you met me, and only twenty-three when Jack came into our lives and we started dating.”

“And?”

“And I’m a firefighter. My schedule is weird and my job is dangerous. You’ve been left to take care of the kids so many times.”

“ _And?_ Like I said, they’re my kids. I’m not babysitting them or some shit.”

“I know, but...I guess we never talked about it.”

“We were friends way before we started dating. I knew what I was getting into, sunshine.”

“I know, but how can you _really_ know at twenty-three—”

“Because when it’s right, you know.” Dean combs his fingers through Castiel’s hair. “I’ve never regretted being with you guys. Not once, Cas. You guys are everything to me; I don’t need it to be legal to be true. So yes, of course I would be there for them. I love our life. You can slow your existential roll, okay?”

“Sorry.”

“Don’t be.” Dean presses his lips onto Castiel’s forehead. “But also, don’t die on me, okay?” he finishes softly.

Castiel nods and snuggles into him. Dean loops an arm around his shoulders and another around his waist and holds him. As he falls asleep in his love’s arms, there’s still a tiny, nagging doubt he has to resolve for himself. He’ll do that tomorrow. For now, he’ll enjoy this moment, just the two of them.


	4. Castiel

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some sensitive topics brought up in this chapter. See the end notes if you feel you need to. ❤️

“Of course he wants to adopt them, Cas.”

Castiel sits across from Dean’s brother, Sam, in the kitchen at the attorney practice where Sam is employed—which also happens to be owned by his brother, Gabriel. “He’s never said he has.”

Sam shakes his head. “He’s not going to.”

“Why wouldn’t he?”

Gabriel, scooping way too much sugar into his coffee, scoffs. “Gee, I dunno, Cas. Maybe ‘cause you got baby mama drama?”

“She’s not even involved.”

“Not _yet_. Soon as you make a legal move, though, bet your ass she’ll have plenty of involvement. And Deano knows it.”

“He did say it would be a pain in the ass that one time I brought it up. You think that’s why he’s never asked?”

“Why else did you think, Cassie? Wasn’t ‘cause he hates being a dad or some shit. Jesus, he’s the most ‘dad’ dad I know. Even wears those dumb t-shirts.”

“I don’t know. I figured maybe he didn’t want the legal ties or something.”

“Do you?” Sam asks.

“Do I what?”

“Want the legal ties.”

“I do,” he admits. “I just didn’t think he did, and like I said, he made it sound like an inconvenience, so…” He shrugs. “He’s always saying he doesn’t need it.”

“But he wants it,” Sam says quietly. “And it’s not really about the mama drama. It’s about _you_ having to deal with the mama drama...and other stuff.”

Castiel squints. “What?”

Sam sighs and folds his hands around his coffee mug. “You didn’t hear it from me, okay? But you’re asking and I don’t think he’ll ever give you a straight answer, so I’m going to. Dean...he’s wanted to adopt those kids for a long, long time. But because of the shit you went through with Zoe and what’s-his-face, he wouldn’t ask because he didn’t want you to feel trapped, or manipulated, or like he’s being a control freak or something.”

With a _tsk_ , Castiel buries his face in his hands. “I should’ve known. That’s just like him.”

“And you wouldn’t ask because you didn’t want him to feel obligated. Boy, you two are a match made in heaven,” Gabriel squawks.

 _Match made in heaven_ makes Castiel look up. “Do you think his self-sacrificing attitude about the kids’ adoption extends to marriage?”

“He _can_ be taught!” Gabriel exclaims.

Castiel turns to Sam, who nods. “I mean, without giving away conversations we’ve had, I’d say that’s a super-safe bet.”

“Has he been waiting for me to ask?”

Sam drops his eyes to his cup. 

“Fuck, he has. I was waiting for _him_ to be comfortable enough to ask!”

“ _Jeezus_ , you two,” Gabriel moans dramatically.

“Well, I wasn’t gonna ask! He’s never said he wanted to—not once—and he’s the one who’d be saddled with two kids and a husband with baggage!”

“Do you _see_ how the man looks at you? I can’t even with you.”

“What Gabe is trying to say here, I think, is that Dean’s committed to you in every way but one. It’s up to you to bridge the gap, ‘cause my brother doesn't want to hurt you, ever. You mean way too much to him.”

Castiel smiles, his eyes floating to the ceiling as he shakes his head. “I love that selfless idiot so much.”

His brother and his brother-in-law (soon, hopefully) laugh.

“And by the time I’m done, he’s gonna know it.”

* * *

The kids were ecstatic when Castiel told them he’d jumped over a couple of major hurdles. “But the hardest one is still to come,” he warned.

And now, with Gabe’s help, he was about to discuss the matter with the biggest hurdle. 

Zoe.

She’s living in a flophouse in a neighborhood Castiel would rather not be in after dark, though he doesn’t have much of a choice if he wants to talk to her. He doesn’t have an emotional connection to her, but he still has a human connection, and he hates to see her (or anyone) live like this. 

He knocks. 

Some guy answers. 

It takes a few minutes of assuring the man he’s not a narc before he goes to get Zoe. He stands right behind her when she comes to the door.

“Cas!” she cries. “How the hell are ya?” She practically leaps into his arms.

“Um, fine,” he answers, patting her back. She hangs on a little longer than he’s comfortable with—she’s always had trouble with boundaries—but he lets her determine when the hug is over and, eventually, it is. 

“What’s up?”

“I was hoping maybe we could talk about the kids—”

“Oh! Oh my God, what’s wrong?” She turns her head toward the inside of the house. “You guys, something’s wro—”

“No, nothing’s wrong with the kids,” Castiel assures her as he lightly grips her elbow and encourages her to look at him. He can’t stand the drama she likes to generate. “They’re fine. Listen, can I take you for dinner somewhere so we can talk?”

“Only if you take me somewhere nice,” she teases, though it feels a bit flirty and makes him uncomfortable. 

“Sure, of course. Anywhere you want.”

They end up at Applebee’s. 

“I love their chicken fingers,” she explains once they’ve ordered. She’s been talking nonstop since she got in his car. He smiles politely at her and lets her chatter until their meals arrive, then decides it’s finally time to stop her stream-of-consciousness.

“Zoe, I wanted to talk about the kids—”

“Oh yeah! So they’re good, right?”

“They’re great. They’re so great. Really happy.”

“Awesome. So why do you want to talk about them?”

Castiel draws a breath. “Zoe, I want Dean to be able to adopt the kids.”

“Dean? That guy?”

“My partner of several years, yes.”

She frowns slightly. “Okay?”

“And I need your consent for that.”

“Okay, I guess.”

Castiel can hardly believe his ears. “Okay? Really?”

“Yeah. I guess it’s fine.”

“Oh, Zoe, thank you, I’m so happy you’re okay with it.” He digs the paperwork that Gabe gave him out of the backpack he brought. “I have the papers right here for you to sign.”

She frowns as she sucks the salt off a fry. “Okay. Didn’t know I’d have to sign shit.”

A sudden realization makes Castiel’s stomach drop. “You do know what’s involved in this, don’t you? You understand what I’m asking?”

“You’re asking if your dude can adopt the kids.”

“Right. But you know what that means, right? In terms of your parental rights?”

He can tell by the look on her face that she doesn’t. He braces for her response as he explains, “It means that Dean would have parental rights and responsibilities and I would have parental rights and responsibilities, and since there can only be two legal parents on a birth certificate, it means that you would not.”

“Would not what?”

“Have parental rights and responsibilities.”

“Which means?”

He restrains a sigh. “It means that you would not be their legal parent anymore. Your name would be removed from the birth certificates, and you would have no responsibility toward them as a parent.”

Predictably, she explodes. 

“What? No! No way! Those kids came out of _me_ and I’ll be damned if I’m going to be replaced!”

“Zoe, please keep your voice down—”

“No!”

“Zoe—”

“Shove it, Cas.” 

“You haven’t seen the kids in eight years.”

“Well, I’ve been busy! I didn’t expect you to try to take my kids from me!”

“It’s not that I want to—”

“Whatever. I can't do this right now. I need—I need something, I need my stuff.”

“Zoe, please, let’s talk about this.”

“I can’t, I can’t. I need—I’m stressed, I can’t do this.”

Running away is her typical MO, so he’s not surprised. He’s left at the table, being stared at by everyone in the restaurant. He scrubs his face.

Castiel tries again and again, for weeks. Sometimes he gets close to getting her to agree, but then she runs. Gabe offers to use his own “special tactics” to get her to agree. He refuses, not wanting to know what he means by that. Every so often, he updates the kids, simply saying that he’s still “working through the legal stuff.” He keeps a bright, hopeful face for them, but the stress is getting to him. Dean notices. 

“You really gotta knock off those extra hours at work,” Dean says, folding him into a hug in their kitchen after the kids have gone to do their homework.

“Yeah, I know.” He nuzzles against Dean’s neck. He hates lying to him, and the guilt only adds to his stress. “But you know how it goes, hon. The fires don’t stop just because we’re shorthanded.”

“I know. I don’t like seeing you all stressed out, though, even if it is for some good, noble reason.”

If Dean only knew just how good, how noble the reason is.

“It’s okay. I’m happy to do it, even if I’m exhausted.”

“Mmm.” He plants kisses in Castiel’s hair, then on his cheek, then his lips. His hands travel to Castiel’s hips, drawing him closer. Castiel hums in his mouth. Dean responds by slowly rocking him back and forth, deepening their kiss as they move. Castiel loves the feeling of being so loved, so wanted by his partner. He wraps his arms around Dean’s waist and—

“Right in front of my salad?” Claire comments as she walks into the kitchen. 

Dean breaks away from him and playfully swats her ponytail as she passes. “You’re the one who walked in. And how do you know that phrase?”

“Didn’t think my eyes would be assaulted by two old dudes making out. And it’s a meme. How do _you_ know that phrase?”

Dean squints. “We been knew.”

Cas has no idea what either of them are talking about, so he lets Dean have whatever conversation needs to happen. 

Or not happen, because Dean says instead, “You should be happy we love each other.”

“I’m happy my eyes are still functioning after seeing that.”

“Keep it up and I’ll do it again.”

“Eww.”

“Or I’ll give you a kiss instead.”

“ _Eww_!”

“Oh, yup, I’m gonna give you a big wet kiss right on your cheek!”

“No!”

“Come ‘ere!”

“No!”

She screams as Dean chases her up the stairs. Castiel laughs, his heart fit to burst as he watches Claire and her dad have fun together. Her _dad._ The man who has been a true parent to her for as long as he’s been in her life. It makes his emotions tumble in his belly once again, as they have for weeks. Dean deserves to be named her parent—he’s the one doing the work, after all. As important as Zoe was in carrying and birthing the kids, the years that Dean has put in far exceed her contributions, in his opinion.

He folds his arms, cold resolve settling in his bones as anger and resentment at his ex seep in. He’s tried to be nice. He’s tried to be understanding. He’s tried to be generous. He’s tried to give her “space” and “time.” But enough is enough. 

* * *

By the time he goes back to the house she’s staying at with God knows how many strangers, “street uncles,” and “friends,” he’s calmed down a little, but he’s still resolved to get this done, one way or another.

“Hey,” she says blandly when she sees him. “Where are we going this time?”

“We can talk right here.”

“No food or new clothes here.”

“I know. I’m not here to feed or clothe you. I’m here to speak to you one more time about the kids.”

“I already told you I’m not giving up my rights.”

He folds his arms. “It’s rights _and responsibilities_ , Zoe. Responsibilities that you’ve never bothered to take.”

“I was busy!”

“That’s not an excuse. I was busy, too, as was Dean.”

“You _know_ I’m not in a good place right now, Cas.”

“I know that. You haven’t been in a good place for years, Zoe.”

“And you’re gonna use that against me? I’ve _wanted_ to be a mom to those kids.”

“Really? Because we wouldn’t be having this conversation if you had done what you needed to do to make that happen.”

“That’s not fair! I wanted—”

“Maybe you did. But you didn’t. Wanting to be a parent doesn’t make you a parent. _Being a parent_ makes you a parent.”

“I’ve had a rough few years, okay? But I just need to get my shit together and then I can ‘parent’ them. I just need time.”

Castiel sets his jaw. “No.”

“Cas—”

“ _No_. No more excuses. The time is _now_ , not whenever you damn well feel like it. The kids need their parents _now._ ”

“Fine. I’ll start _now._ ”

“No, you won’t. Zoe, you’ve been plenty happy to let me care for Claire and Jack their entire lives while you were ‘busy.’ _I_ have been the one to work my ass off so they had food and a home and all the things they needed. _I_ am the one who taught them how to ride a bike and stand up for themselves and treat other people well and tie their shoes. _I_ am the one who nursed them through every sickness, comforted them after every nightmare, attended every meeting. That was all _me._ Me and _Dean_. Their _parents._

“I have tried being nice. I’ve tried to see it from your side. I’ve tried to give you time. I’ve tried to appeal to your sense of love for the children you birthed by showing you pictures and videos of the kids with Dean, letting you see how happy they are with him. I’ve tried getting you help. I’ve tried giving you money. I’ve bent over backwards to do or give what I could so that you would ultimately make the right choice for the kids. But you haven’t. So guess what? I’m using my right as their father to do what’s best for them.”

Zoe scratches at her arm, then wipes her nose. “What do you mean?”

“Kalamazoo,” he calls.

She stares at him as he glares at her. “What? What the fuck do you mean by—”

“Zoe Sanderson?” 

“Yeah?” she says, turning to the tall, dark man who’s appeared by their side.

“You've been served.” He hands her an envelope and disappears as quickly as he arrived.

She turns angry eyes toward Castiel. “What the fuck is this?”

“I’ve petitioned the court to terminate your parental rights.”

“ _What_?”

“You have _not_ been a parent to these kids, whether you wanted to be or not, you’re refusing to do anything to _be_ a parent to them, and you haven’t stepped up to do the _one thing_ you could. I have given you every opportunity to do the right thing by them, all their lives, but you won’t, and I’m not taking any chances that you’re gonna come screaming into their lives now out of some sick sense of revenge or ownership. So I’m letting the courts decide whether you can keep your parental rights.”

“They’re _mine_!”

“They aren’t possessions you can show off whenever it’s good for you and stick on a shelf the rest of the time! They’re _children_! They need _parents_!”

“I will _be_ their parent then!”

Castiel snorts derisively. “Oh, you wanna be a parent? Just like that, ‘cause it’s so easy? Good! Why don’t you come around when Claire is screaming at us about how much she hates us? Why don’t you come around when Jack’s so dysregulated that he’s throwing a tantrum at the store and everyone’s staring? Why don’t you come around when they’re fighting and you have to split them up, getting a fist to the gut in the process because he can’t control his body and she can’t control her mouth? Huh?”

Zoe casts her eyes toward her feet and folds her arms. She’s trying to avoid, as usual, but Castiel is frustrated and he’s run out of sympathy.

“Why don’t you come around when they’re refusing to do what you ask, when they’re selfish, when they’re ungrateful, when they blame you for things you can’t control? Come on over and parent them when they’re being awful little humans, when they’re mean and nasty and they hurt your feelings. Come on over and parent them in the bad times, when you wouldn’t want to show them off to _anyone_. Come around then and parent them. I have. Dean has. Still want them, Zoe? Because we do.”

Castiel takes the same paperwork he’s been trying to get her to sign out of his backpack. “You can sign this and mail it back to me at the fire station or you can show up at court. Do something right by them, Zoe. And then do something right by yourself and get some help.” 

He holds the papers out toward her. 

“You won’t win. They always give the kids to the mother,” she says, but her tone has no conviction in it.

As compassionately as he can muster while he’s this angry, he says, “Zoe. If this goes to a courtroom, people are going to testify that you use drugs. That Jack was _born_ on drugs. That you neglected Claire. That you assaulted me. That you were convicted of a felony. That you haven’t been in their lives for years. There are multiple grounds to terminate. _You’re_ not going to win. Don't do this to yourself or them.”

He holds the papers out again. She won’t take them, so he lets them fall to the ground, then turns on his heel and strides back to his car, parked down the street. Victor Henrikson, a longtime friend and colleague, leans against it. Gabe’s private investigator, a grizzled former cop named Rufus Turner, follows just behind Castiel and settles next to Vic.

“Thanks for your help, guys,” Castiel says, shaking their hands.

“Always helps to have witnesses,” Vic says. “And someone to serve up court papers, since you couldn’t.”

“Helps to have video, too, just in case,” Rufus adds. “I’ll send you a copy of what I got, and I’ll give a copy to Gabriel.”

“Great. I had my phone recording, too, as a backup.” Castiel takes his phone out of his pocket and stops the recording. “I’ll send it to Gabe, too. I know I’m being paranoid—”

“You’re probably not being paranoid enough,” Rufus grumbles. 

“I wish it hadn’t come to this. I wish, for once, she’d be mature and put someone before herself.”

“Cas,” Vic says, clapping his shoulder, “I have watched you put up with so much shit over the last couple of months, and over the years, too. You needed to stand up to her. She wasn’t gonna listen to anything but tough love, man.”

“Yeah. It just felt so…”

“Unnatural? Out of character?”

“Yeah.”

“That’s because you’re not like that. It takes someone being a threat to your family to wake up your Papa Bear. And that bear’s an ornery son of a bitch.”

Castiel laughs. “Yeah, he can be. Dean calls it my ‘righteous angel’ persona.”

“Fitting.”

“And speaking of, I guess I should get home. I’ll see you guys. Thanks again.”

“I hope it works out for ya,” Rufus calls as he backs away with a wave.

 _Me too_ , he thinks.

* * *

The day before the court hearing, Castiel is at work doing an equipment check when Vic sidles up to him.

“Hey. Zoe’s here. She’s coming up the driveway.”

Castiel trots to the door, opening it before she even has a chance to knock. “Zoe.”

“Hey.”

“What can I do for you?”

She bounces from foot to foot as she hugs herself. “Good parents do what’s best for their kids, right? Even when it’s hard?”

Hope rises in his chest like a bird taking flight. “Especially when it’s hard. Good parents do the hard stuff.”

Her lips flap as she exhales. “I’d be a good mom if I signed your papers.”

It’s a difficult question to answer. He doesn’t want to invalidate her as their birth mother, nor to praise her for doing something that he clearly wants her to do, but he doesn’t want to invalidate his kids’ feelings and choice, either. “I think you would be making a very compassionate, loving choice for the kids.”

“They want your man to be their other parent? They want him to adopt them? They get what that means?”

He hesitates. He didn’t want to tell her this, not knowing how she’d react. “They love Dean. They call him Dad. Well, Daddio, actually.” He smiles softly. “He’s already their parent in every other way. They want Dean to be their legal parent—not just their guardian, which we talked about, but their parent. They understand what it means. They... _they_ asked _me_ , Zo.”

She rolls her lips. Her body shakes and her eyes are a little buggy. “And I’d be a good mom. If I did this.”

Castiel gazes at her steadily. “I think a good parent puts their kids’ needs first. They need this, Zoe. Legally, emotionally, for their present and their future, they need this security.”

For a long time she simply stands there, picking at her nails and kicking at the doormat. Finally, she nods. “Okay, let’s do this.” She strides past him into the station and swings her purse onto the equipment table against the wall. She opens it, then pulls out a sheaf of papers. 

Quietly, Castiel beckons Vic and the fire chief, Jesse, to his side as witnesses. 

“What do I do?”

“It’s pretty straightforward, just need your signature in a few places.” He pauses, knowing he might regret what he’s about to ask, but continues, “Do you need someone to help you understand these? Someone who’s not me? I don’t want you to sign without underst—”

She rolls her eyes. “I’m fine, God. It’s not like you haven’t explained them a million times.”

Castiel walks her through the forms, holding his breath. She signs each one. When she’s finished, she stands. “Well, that sucked,” she mutters. “And you suck, Cas. You suck a lot.”

Castiel picks up the papers and hands them to Jesse. “Thank you for this, Zoe.”

Her eyes harden. “They’ll always be my kids, no matter what your papers say.”

He nods.

“You really, really suck.”

He nods again.

“Tell them I did this for them. Tell them.”

“I will.”

“’Kay. Shit.” She wipes her eyes as they start to water. “Take...take care of them. Both of you.”

“We will.”

“Am I ever gonna be able to see them again?”

Castiel does his best to keep his face neutral. “We’d have to talk about that. You haven’t seen them in a long, long time, and you’re still using. I told you before that I can’t let them be expos—”

“Yeah, yeah, okay. Whatever. Bye.”

She grabs her purse roughly and combs her fingers through her hair, then blows through the door. Castiel stares after her for a minute, feeling conflicted even though he knows it’s the very best thing for the kids, the thing they want. It doesn’t feel good. He wishes the kids had a mother who could be part of their lives. 

But they have Dean, and soon, they’ll finally be a family in every way.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sensitive content: The kids’ mother is addicted to drugs and has not made any efforts to see the children since Jack was born. Cas is trying to be sensitive and compassionate, but he‘s angry, too. References to drug use, neglect, abuse, termination of parental rights.
> 
> Please note this content isn’t meant to demonize the children’s birth parent, but simply to show where she is in her life and how that’s impacted the kids and Cas.


	5. Jack

When Dad told them that Daddio could be their real dad—adoptive dad, whatever—Jack was very excited. Now he wouldn’t have to lie. Except he still had to lie a little, because they couldn’t tell Daddio just yet, but Dad said that wasn’t a bad lie, it was a good lie, because it was leading to good things.

They planned to tell Daddio on Father’s Day, which would give them lots of time to plan what they wanted to do. The only problem was that Claire didn’t like anything he suggested. He thought she was being stupid and bossy—Daddio would love it if they pretended they were in a video game! The prize at the end would be him becoming their dad. She didn’t like his “Superdad” hero idea, either. She said his ideas were dumb. 

Her ideas were dumb, too, but she didn’t think so. She _loooooved_ them. Of course.

Dad said they had to agree on one thing, though. So now they’re having another super-secret meeting, this time in his room.

“I still think we should do my idea,” Claire says.

“No.”

Claire rolls her eyes. “Well, we’re not doing yours. Any of them.”

“We could just _tell_ him, like ‘Hey! We want you to adopt us!’”

“That’s _boring_.”

“Daddio says ‘get to the point’ a lot. I think he likes to get to the point.”

“Yeah, I know, but we want it to be _special._ Like a proposal, kind of. You only propose once.”

“I’m not getting married. Too much kissing. I’m not having a boyfriend, either. I don’t want to kiss a boy.”

“Do you want to kiss a girl?”

Jack thinks about Emily. She’s nice and she shares her cookies and they play hide and seek. “No, but I’m gonna marry Emily someday. Except we’re not gonna kiss.”

“Didn’t you just say you weren’t getting married?”

“I changed my mind.”

“You’re hopeless.”

“You’re a cat’s butt.”

“Ooh, good one.”

Jack smiles. “Thanks!”

She rolls her eyes again. She rolls her eyes a _lot._ “That wasn’t a compliment.”

Claire confuses him sometimes, so he ignores her comment. “Can we just make Daddio a sign or something? I’m bored.”

“Ugh, no. Okay, how about we do a quiz, like an easy quiz that he would pass, and the prize is he gets to adopt us?”

“Like school? I don’t like tests.”

“It’s not a real test, doofus.”

“You just said it was a quiz.”

“Sigh. Okay, what about a book? He’s a writer. We can make him a book of all our memories of him.”

“I wanna do something _fun_.”

“You’re impossible.”

There’s a soft knock on the door, followed by Dad coming in. “How’s it going?”

They both shrug. He’s talked to them before about learning to work together, and Jack doesn’t want the talk again. Seems like Claire doesn’t, either. 

“Well, what do you have so far?”

Claire shows him the notebook they’ve been writing all their ideas in. He reads them over, then says, “So, Claire, looks like you want to do something artsy, like a book, and Jack, looks like you want to act something out. Maybe you should do both.”

They look at each other, then their dad.

“Claire, you could make the book, and Jack, you could act out the story inside.”

Jack likes the idea because he doesn’t have to sit and make a book. He doesn’t like books that much unless they’re being read to him. “Can I dress up?”

“Maybe,” Dad answers. 

“That could be cool, I guess,” Claire says cautiously. 

Jack is happy that they decided on something ( _finally_ ), and a couple of weeks later, Claire has the book made. Jack helped some, but it was mostly her. He thinks that’ll be it. Easy-peasy, like great-grandma Winchester says. She says lots of stuff. 

But it’s not easy-peasy.

There’s a lot to learn, and Claire doesn’t like him acting out her parts of the story (“I’m not like that!”). She also doesn’t like the way he acts out _his_ parts. He doesn’t like the way she reads.

Dad tells her to be nice and him to calm his body and stay focused. He helps them agree that they can each act out their own parts and read some of the book.

Claire cries a little. He doesn’t really understand why, but she gets all mad when Dad says that she has to change the parts in her book that have their mother in them, saying they’re “mean” and “not in the spirit of what we’re trying to do for Daddio.” She calls Zoe some bad words and Dad doesn’t even get mad; he says “I know” a lot and calls her baby girl and she doesn’t get mad like she usually does, either. 

A week later, Claire makes a book that Dad approves. They practice a bunch, and Jack gets applause from both Dad and Claire for his parts. 

It’s going to be awesome, Jack’s sure of it. So why does he feel a little weird?

The weird feeling doesn’t go away, and the night before it’s all supposed to happen, Jack can’t sleep. He wakes Dad.

“What’s going on, hon?” Dad asks.

“Can’t sleep,” Jack whispers. 

Dad takes Jack back to his room and tucks him into bed. “Why can’t you sleep?”

“I dunno.”

“Is it about tomorrow?”

Jack sniffles. “Yeah.”

Dad sits next to him on the bed and wraps him in a hug. “Let’s go through your feelings list. Are you feeling angry?”

Jack shakes his head. 

“Excited?”

“Kinda.”

“Hmm. Scared?”

At that, huge tears spill from Jack’s eyes and he’s not even sure why at first. His dad holds him until all the tears dry up, and then he keeps holding him. “Do you know what you’re scared of?”

“Wh-what if he s-says no?” Jack stutters, fresh tears building behind his lids. “What if h-he doesn’t want t-to?”

“Jackie, honey,” Dad coos, smoothing his hair in that way that always feels so good. “He won’t say no.”

“How do you know?”

“Let’s think about it for a minute. Does Daddio love you?”

“Yeah.”

“Okay. How do you know?”

Jack sits up a bit in his father’s arms. “He says it all the time. And he does stuff for us.”

“Like what?”

“Like he listens, and he plays with me, and he makes me the good mac and cheese, and he sings to me. And he watches _Mythbusters_ with me and we do science experiments.”

“That’s right. And how long has he been doing all those things with you?”

“My whole life!”

“Yeah. And why does he do them?”

Jack shrugs. “Because he loves me?”

“Right. Did a piece of paper tell him to love you?”

He doesn’t think so, so he says, “Um, no?”

“Right again. Being a daddy is about love, not a piece of paper. But sometimes, pieces of paper or other things mean something to us, too. Like remember when you got your Super Math Brain award?” Dad points to a colorful certificate pinned to the wall. “That means something to you, right? You already knew you were good at math, but you have a _paper_ saying it. Or how about your orange belt in karate? You and your sensei know you know the skills, but you love that belt. It’s something you’re proud of.”

“Yeah.”

“And it shows other people, too. It’s like proof.”

“Yeah.”

“So even though you don’t _need_ those things, you like those things and you’re proud of them, and it tells other people something important about you, too, something you’re proud of. Daddio doesn’t _need_ the paper. He’s already your dad no matter what. But being your dad is important to him, and he’s proud of it, and he wants to show the whole world, and with that piece of paper, everyone will believe what he and all of us already know.”

Jack nods. 

“It’s okay to feel scared, because it’s a big thing and it’s important to you that he says yes. But I can tell you that with every piece of my heart, with all I have, I believe he’ll say yes. And you know what else?”

With bright eyes, Jack asks, “What?”

Dad leans in close. “I bet he’ll cry.”

“No!” Jack laughs. “I’ve never seen Daddio cry!”

“Well, I bet he does. All good, happy tears.”

Feeling buoyed now, Jack bounces in his dad’s arms. “I can’t wait for tomorrow!”

“Me too, honey. And to be sure you’re at your best, you need some sleep, okay?”

“Okay!” 

Jack scoots under the blankets. He loves the way his dad tucks them in all around him, making him feel safe and calm. Dad kisses him goodnight, then turns to leave. Just before he goes, though, Jack has one more question. 

“Dad?”

“Hmm?”

“What about you guys? Are you gonna get married?”

Dad smiles. “Well, we don’t really need to. We know how we feel about each other. But that piece of paper would be nice, I think.”

“I think Daddio would say yes if you asked.”

“You think so?”

“Yeah. He loves you. I can tell ‘cause he kisses you a lot and ‘cause he’s always doing stuff for you, like when he takes the tomato seeds out of the tomatoes before he makes you a salad and when he stays up until you get home, even if it’s really late ‘cause there’s a big fire.”

“How do you know he does that? You’re supposed to be sleeping.”

Jack shrugs. “I hear you come home and him talking to you. And Dad?”

“Yes?”

“Um, I lied a minute ago by mistake. I’ve never seen him cry, but I did hear him cry once. You came home early early in the morning, like when it was still dark but almost light, and I heard you come home and I heard him crying.”

His dad nods slowly. “Yeah, I remember. He was very worried about me that night, that’s all. But the kind of crying he might do tomorrow will be happy crying.”

“Yeah. I think he’d cry happy tears if you guys got married, too. He loves you like he loves us.”

Dad smiles again. “He loves me a lot. He loves all of us a lot.”

“Yeah. So are you gonna ask?”

“Maybe. I’ll decide tomorrow. Get some sleep, okay? Can’t have my best actor falling asleep during his performance.”

“I won’t, Dad.”

“Good. Night, buddy. Love you.”

“Night.”

Jack settles in, secure and happy.


	6. Dean

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Will Dean cry? We’ll see. 😂

Father’s Day is always a special day at the Novak/Winchester house. The kids are sweet (when they’re not fighting), lunch is delicious (as long as the kids aren’t fighting so they can actually eat it), and Dean and Cas always try to outdo each other with the best sexual favor (if they’re not exhausted from the kids fighting).

Maybe “special” is a generous term. In all truthfulness, there were some Father’s Days that felt downright tough, and not just because the kids misbehaved. Sometimes it was Dean, throwing himself a pity party because he felt like less of a father than Cas. Cas would remind him that he does just as much, loves just as much and is loved just as much in return, and eventually Dean would come around. It doesn’t happen as much nowadays. He knows he’s as much of a father as Cas. The kids treat them no differently, and neither does anyone else (except when it comes to the damn forms and giving permission, of course). So maybe “special” is the right term, because whether it’s a rough or a smooth day, it’s a reminder of just how lucky he is to be a dad.

This year, Cas wanted to have a barbecue at home and invite everyone, which is awesome. They tried to do them years ago, but eventually settled for a quiet day eating at whatever restaurant the kids could agree on each year, usually some family-friendly place or fast food chain. Now that they’re getting a little older, it seems Cas is ready to give a bigger shindig another go. 

He was worried about Cas for a while there. He was working extra hours and seemed stressed, preoccupied. But his hours have gone back to normal, and both he and the kids have been in remarkably good spirits. He’s hoping this Father’s Day will be the best one yet. 

Sam and Jess arrive first, followed by Gabe and Kali, Anna and Jonah, Charlie and Dottie, Jody and Donna, both his parents and Cas’, and of course, _all_ the kids. More friends and family follow, and soon the yard is filled to bursting, just how Dean likes it.

A couple of hours in, Dean’s having a fantastic time. The pool is hopping, the grill is hot, and everyone he loves is there and is having fun...except he can’t find Cas anywhere.

“Have you seen Cas?” Dean asks several of their guests. No one knows where he is. Out of options after searching the house, he calls Cas’ phone. 

It rings in the bathroom. In the shower.

“Cas? You okay?”

“Fine,” he answers, though he doesn’t open the curtain. 

“Uh, well, you’ve been gone for a while, and not to state the obvious, but you’re hiding in the tub during a party you wanted to have. You sure you’re all right?”

The curtain slides open. Cas is sweating way more than he should be in the air-conditioned house. 

“You don’t look so good, babe,” Dean says. 

“I’m not hiding. And I’m fine.”

“You sure?”

“I’m _fine._ ” 

“Okay, don’t bite my head off.”

Cas’ gaze slips to his hands. “Sorry. Just a little shaky.”

“Have you eaten?”

“Not really.”

“Uh, you’re the paramedic, not me, but maybe that’s not good for you?”

“Yeah, I know, I know.”

“You want a plate?”

“No. I can’t eat right now.”

Dean frowns. “Maybe you should lie down.”

“No, no, I’ll be fine.”

“Then eat something so you don’t pass out.”

“I _can’t_ , I told you.”

“Well, let me get you a drink of water or something.”

“No, let’s just get downstairs. It’s time for the kids to give you their gift.”

“Cas, gifts can wait.”

“No, they can’t.”

“Cas—”

“Dean, I’m _fine_ , let’s just go!”

“Not until your stubborn ass eats something so you don’t fall on your face!”

“Last I checked, you’re _their_ father, not mine!”

“Oh for fuck’s sake, fine, fall on your face.” 

“Thank you, I will.”

Dean rolls his eyes at his ridiculous boyfriend. 

They make it to the door and, with a deep breath, Cas steps outside, Dean following behind him to make sure he doesn’t actually fall on his face. He takes a couple more breaths, then calls the kids over. His demeanor changes immediately as he puts on a smile for them. Dean’s always impressed with Cas’ ability to keep his own shit under wraps. Dean himself doesn’t even realize there’s something up with him half the time, so he knows the recent work stuff and extra hours must’ve really been getting to Cas for him to notice. Dean watches as they disappear into the shed for a few minutes, returning with two wrapped gifts. Everyone gathers around them when Claire calls out, “It’s time for gifts!”

Cas is first. The kids give him the gift that Dean helped them choose: a bocce ball set. Cas loves gifts that they can share, wanting the togetherness a gift can bring rather than the gift itself. 

“Okay, Daddio, your turn,” she grins. She hands him a shirt box, though it doesn’t sound like a shirt inside. He tears it open and finds a homemade book titled _Daddio._

“Jack and I are going to read it,” Claire says. Jack sits next to him on their outdoor sofa while Claire stands in the middle of the circle that’s formed around them and Cas stands across from her. Jack opens to the first page, which has computer-printed words and photos.

“One day, a man named Dean met a man named Cas and his daughter, Claire,” Jack reads. Dean’s proud of him. Jack is a decent reader but doesn’t love reading, his attention too fickle many days. He must’ve practiced this. “Dean talked to Cas and Claire, but they didn’t talk back very much.”

Claire pretends to be Dean trying to talk to them, exaggerating his bow-legged walk and making him much flirtier than Dean thinks he ever was. The way Cas likes to tell the story makes him sound that way, though, so he’s sure he had a hand in helping her develop her portrayal. She then grabs Cas’ hand and drops to her knees as she switches to herself, an adorable preschooler trying to talk to the “stranger.” Cas tugs her along, gruff and grumpy. Perhaps that’s because of how Dean tells his side of things. Cas was fair-handed, at least. It’s hilarious, and Dean laughs along with everyone else. Even Cas is chuckling, so he must be feeling better. Maybe he was nervous about the little show the kids wanted to do.

Jack turns the page. “Then one day, Claire saw Dean on his balcony. Her dad wasn’t around and he was trapped, so Claire figured it was a good time to finally talk to him.”

More laughter rings through the air as Claire acts out a conversation that certainly didn’t happen the way she says it did. But she’s as adorable now as she was then. Dean smiles. 

“Over time, Dean and Claire became friends, and eventually, Cas and Dean did, too. Cas and Dean were friends for a looooooooong time.”

Dean roars with laughter as Claire taps her foot and mimes looking at a watch while Cas stands next to her, looking shy and indecisive, comically bouncing his hands as if he’s weighing his options.

“And then, Jack came.”

At this, the siblings switch places. Jack jumps in Cas’ arms and cries like a baby, kicking his legs. 

“Just like I remember,” Dean shouts, teasing his son. 

Jack makes a playful sour face at him.

“Jack was a surprise, but they all loved him right away,” Claire reads. “They had to move, though, because they needed more room.”

Claire runs back and squeezes next to Jack and Cas, covering her ears while Jack screams for his bottle. Dean’s stomach hurts from laughing so hard. Jack cried _a lot_ as his body recovered. Those were hard days (and nights). It’s nice to be able to laugh about them now.

Jack runs back to Dean’s side and turns the page. “Dean and Cas felt like they were family, and they didn’t want to be apart, so they decided to move to a house together with Claire and Jack. And that’s when the kissing began.”

Claire makes a disgusted face while Cas turns his back to everyone and rubs one hand in his hair and the other along his ribs as if he’s making out with someone. Everyone is in stitches—Dean most of all, tears streaming down his cheeks as he wheezes and slaps his thigh—and it takes Jack yelling “We have to finish reading!” for them to calm down. 

“It was gross,” Claire adds as commentary. 

“Anywaaaaay,” Jack continues, “soon after that, Claire wanted to call Dean something that showed him how important he was to her, but not Daddy because she thought it would be confusing. So she started calling him Daddio, because Uncle Gabe called him Deano and she thought it would be funny. He loved it.”

Claire mouths the word as she rests her hands over her heart and smiles at him. Dean, remembering the moment when she blurted it out while they were playing, feels his nose prickle and his eyes well up.

“And Jack called him Daddio too, when he could talk.”

The kids switch again, and Jack pretends he’s a toddler reaching for him and calling him Daddio, and that makes Dean want to cry, too. They’re growing so fast.

“Jack and Claire both got older,” Claire reads, “and one day, Jack asked Claire…” She pauses. 

“Why can’t Daddio sign his own name on forms?” Jack recites. 

Dean remembers him asking why he signed Cas’ name once, months ago, and the answer he had to give him.

“So they talked, and then they talked to Dad, who told them why.”

Jack comes to sit next to Dean, Claire still on his other side. “They thought it was dumb,” Jack says solemnly. 

“So they decided to give him a form he _could_ sign, if he wanted to,” Claire reads softly. 

Dean expects one of them to turn the page, but neither does. He glances at each of them.

“You turn it,” Jack says. 

Dean turns it. 

The next page is very different from the others. He’s seen it a thousand times, every time he’s gone onto the State of California government website and stared at it longingly, wondering if he could ask, if Cas would say yes, if the kids would even want it.

_Form ADOPT-200._

_Adoption Request._

Like a sudden summer rainstorm, Dean bursts.

He folds over the book, protecting it with his heart as years of longing spill down his cheeks. His babies. He finally gets to be _everything_ to his babies. He weeps unashamedly in front of everyone he loves.

“You were right, Dad, he cried,” he hears Jack say. Dean huffs a wet, breathy chuckle as he gathers himself up and stares at the form again. It’s the most beautiful piece of paper he’s ever seen. 

“So, you wanna sign the form, Dad?” Claire asks. 

Dean raises his eyes to her hopeful, nervous face. “Damn right I do,” he answers, his voice cracking with emotion. He pulls both of his children into a long, tight hug. “And it’s still Daddio,” he insists, to the sniffly giggles of his daughter and the “Well yeah, duh” of his son. He kisses them both on the cheeks, then hugs them again as they both climb into his lap. Distantly he hears people cheering and clapping, and he’s grateful for their support and love, but these two are his world right now.

Well, three. He pokes his head between the kids’ heads to find Cas, who’s smiling at them, eyes red and cheeks tear-streaked. _Now_ he gets why Cas was sick earlier. “C’mere, you,” he rasps.

Cas kneels at his feet. Dean leans down and hugs him. “Whose idea was this?” he whispers in his ear.

“Theirs, with my wholehearted support,” he whispers back. 

Dean finds Cas’ lips with his.

“Eww,” Gabriel squawks, making their audience laugh. Dean pays neither him nor them any mind.

“Everything’s all set,” Cas tells him. “All of it. All we have to do is get these forms signed and submitted, and it should be smooth sailing from there.”

“Even…” Dean asks, hoping Cas knows he’s talking about Zoe.

“All set,” Cas assures him. “I’ve been busy.”

“You little sneak,” he smiles, kissing him on the nose.

Cas chuckles, then exhales hard. “There’s one other gift for you.”

The kids squeal and scurry away. Dean figures they were part of it and are going to fetch it, but they don’t return. Instead, Cas reaches under the couch cushion and retrieves a thin box. 

Dean takes it, frowning slightly because it looks like Cas is going to be sick again. He unwraps it carefully, revealing another book, this one made on one of those photo websites. 

“Read it out loud,” Cas urges him.

Dean opens the book, admiring the photo on the front first—the four of them at Christmas—and begins to read:

_Once there was a man named Castiel._

_He was blessed in so many ways—with a wonderful daughter, a loving family, and a career he was looking forward to._

Dean smiles at the photo of Cas and a young Claire, then laughs outright at the photo on the next page—Cas pouting. His laugh softens into something thoughtful when he reads the words on the page:

_But he was lonely. Cupid kept smacking him in the head instead of shooting him in the heart. He was pretty sure he would never find the kind of love that other people seemed to have. But that was okay, because he had his own little family._

Dean turns the page to see a picture of Claire talking to Dean through their balconies back at the old apartment building. He’s never seen the photo before. He marvels at how small Claire was.

_Then, one day, Cas’ neighbor said hello. His name was Dean. He was very friendly, nice to Claire, and a little flirty, which he still denies._

Dean grins.

_Cas wanted to be friendly in return, but his heart was too bruised. Still, Dean kept being friendly. Dean and Claire struck up a friendship, and slowly, Cas let Dean in. Dean was always nice and very patient._

On the next page, there’s a picture of the three of them on vacation at Disneyland.

_Dean became a very important part of their lives. To Claire, he was a person she could rely on, someone who was always there for her. To Cas, he was the best friend he’d ever had, and so much more, though he was afraid to tell him so and he really wasn’t sure what Dean’s feelings were._

_Then Jack was born_ , Dean reads as he turns the page again, gazing at the photo of baby Jack in Cas’ arms and a younger Claire in his. _And they finally figured some things out._

Dean turns the page and sees a large photo of the two of them kissing. He remembers the day vividly. It was a couple of weeks after they moved into the house. They were in a secluded spot in the woods, alone for the first time since Jack was born. That kiss turned into many kisses that weren’t captured by Cas’ phone. It was a perfect day, one he still goes back to in his mind all these years later. He gazes at it, enjoying the moment again.

The next page is a collage of photos of them over the years—some of the four of them, some of just him and Cas.

_Cas and Dean were in love, and they were finally a family in all the ways that mattered. They had everything they needed._

Dean flips the page after lingering over the photos with a smile. 

_But like love and pie, a little extra is never a bad thing._

A photo of the two kids with the adoption application in their hand is on this page. It makes Dean well up all over again. After pressing a kiss to his finger, then the picture, he turns to the next page.

_So we hope you don’t mind a little extra._

Dean does a double-take as he looks at the photo. It’s a picture of Claire, Cas, and Jack, holding up a banner. “We want to be Winchesters,” Dean reads, then presses a hand to his mouth. His babies want to be Winchesters. And Cas must be okay with it, because he’s in the picture. He breathes rapidly through his mouth, holding back his tears. He glances at Cas, then at the kids. “You wanna be Winchesters?”

They nod and grin. 

“Oh my God!” he shouts, standing. “Bring it in!” 

They run to him, and once more the tears stream down his face. He hugs them and kisses their cheeks. “Can’t believe my babies wanna take my name. This day, man. It can’t get any better. Phew.” He wipes his face.

Claire looks behind him, then back at him, her eyes on the tail end of an exasperated roll. “Uh, yeah, I think it can, Daddio. _We_ wanna be Winchesters.” She presses him down into his seat with wide, expectant eyes.

“Yeah, I know,” he says, still looking at her. “It’s awesome. I can’t believe it.”

“Uh huh. Look at the picture again.” 

He picks it up and scans it, looking for anything he missed. “What?” he finally says.

She huffs. “Told you it wasn’t obvious enough, Dad,” Claire says to Cas as she backs away.

Dean looks at the photo again. “Wasn’t obvious enough? Cas, what the hell am I supposed to be—oh shit!”

Cas is on one knee, holding a ring out to him. “ _We_ want to be Winchesters,” Cas reiterates softly, almost hesitantly. “I don’t know how you feel about marriage, so this is probably stupid to do on an already beautiful and emotional day, but I’ve wanted to marry you for years now and I’m hoping you feel the same. So Dean, will you do me the honor—”

With an undignified sob, Dean throws himself at Cas, cutting off the proposal he’s waited so long to hear. He cries, high-pitched and stuttering, completely overcome by the day, the moment, the absolute love he feels for and from Cas. 

“So, you wanna sign the marriage certificate?” Cas murmurs, his rumbling voice dampened by his own emotion.

“Yes, absolutely yes.” Dean kisses him, long and deep, and everyone says _aww_ instead of _eww_.

* * *

The wedding in their yard is simple and beautiful, a joyous celebration, and the final adoption hearing a week later is just as celebrated and joyous. Life continues as before, except it’s a little extra now.

Soon another school year begins. Dean and Cas both see the kids off in the morning on their first day, and they’re both there for dinner to hear about their day. Jack talks about seeing all of his friends again and is excited that the school has started “movement breaks” throughout the day, a few minutes every hour or so when they can get up from their seats and stretch or walk around. Dean and Cas are hopeful that they’ll lead to better focus for him. Claire complains about already having homework, gushes about “all the cute people” (her parents don’t miss the use of _people_ rather than _boys_ ), and asks about going out later to pick up a couple of things for her locker. Dean also takes a bit of good-natured ribbing from her, teasing him about how he’s “famous” at school now because the video she posted on YouTube from Father’s Day has thousands of views. He’s a little embarrassed about his blubbering, but he’s not sorry for it. 

“Oh, I have forms for you guys,” Claire says, gulping down the last of her water with dinner, then getting up to grab her backpack. She fishes the packet of forms from her bag. “Here,” she says, handing them to Dean. “Don’t cry when you fill them out.”

He blows a raspberry at her.

“I have mine, too!” Jack cries. He also gives his to Dean, though they’re a bit more crumpled.

The clearing of the table is forgotten for a moment as Dean completes the first form for each of them, proudly printing his name with Cas’ on the “parent” line. When he’s finished, he bites his lip, then signs _Dean Winchester-Novak_ with a flourish on each form. (He’d wanted to be a Novak for as long as Cas had wanted to be a Winchester, so it only made sense to combine their names.) Cas snaps a picture, Claire takes a selfie of the four of them, and Jack gives him a hug, then screams “Bye!” and runs away before the fathers can press him into finishing his broccoli. Claire disappears quickly, too, giving an excuse of “homework” but clearly not wanting to be called into dishwashing duty. 

Dean sighs as he finishes the forms, then tucks them by the door so they’re not forgotten tomorrow. He meets Cas in the kitchen, where he’s loading the last of the dishes into the dishwasher. “Hey.”

Cas looks up. “Hey.”

“That felt good.”

His husband smiles. Dean lets him finish what he’s doing, then takes his hand and drags him outside to the pool, where they stick their feet in and lean against each other. 

“Glad we got our heads out of our asses.”

“Yes. It was uncomfortable up there.”

Dean snickers. “I know I say it a lot, but just...thanks.”

“Thank _you_.”

“No, thank _you_.”

“You don’t have to thank me for giving you something that was just as much for me, hon.”

“I know, but still.”

Cas nuzzles his nose. “Maybe later I'll give you something that you _can_ thank me for.”

Dean likes where this is going. “Will I be thanking you enthusiastically?”

“I hope so.”

They grin as they lean in to share a kiss, sighing as their lips meet.

“Give it _back_ , snotface!” Claire screeches from inside the house. 

“Ah, parenthood,” Cas chuckles. “Gotta love it.”

Dean wouldn’t have it any other way. “I do,” he says. “And I love you. I can’t wait to thank you later.” Then, with one more grin and a peck, Dean strides toward the house to lay down the law. 

“Hey, you turkeys! Don’t make me come in there!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading and for your love! As always, I appreciate it! ❤️❤️❤️ If you enjoyed this and would like to check out my other work, I would be thrilled. 
> 
> My next fic will be out in a week or so. Check out the summary below!
> 
> _Crashing In_
> 
> Castiel Novak is convinced he’s the last unwillingly single person in Lupine Cove. Even Gabriel, his perpetual bachelor brother, has found love. It’s probably because Cas leads the most boring life in existence. He’s a gay man living in a rented, one-room cottage in the same small coastal town he grew up in, just getting by as the owner of the same convenience store he was practically raised in. The most excitement he gets is chatting with the locals or maybe, if he’s unlucky, oversleeping and rushing to work. So when a baby is left at the Safe Haven drop-off at the local fire station, he takes the opportunity to step in for the child temporarily, at least until suitable parents, plural, can be found. 
> 
> Life certainly gets more interesting.
> 
> And it gets even more interesting when a handsome man comes crashing—literally—into his life.


End file.
